Dust Devil is one of the Weather-related disasters resulting from the localized heating and convection currents associated with it. This can result in maelstroms that pick up dust and dust particles and form a Dust Devil. It can also be referred to as whirlwind, which is an updraft of wind and dust in rotary fashion. It can be as tall as 1000 meters if it is extremely powerful.

The Dust Devil has acquired several names as it has traveled across the continents.

• In the United States of America the Dust Devil is known as Dancing Devils.
• It is called the Chiindii in Navajo and there are certain spiritual connections made to it too.
• It is called the Willy Willy in Australia
• In California they are also called a dust whirl or sand auger

Dust Devil differs from tornadoes that they can occur even in sunny weather in a clear day, without a hint of cloud on the sky.

Causes of Dust Devil

For the Dust Devil to be created it is necessary there is hot pressure near the surface and high pressure above it. This will make the extremely hot air near the surface to try and take the place of the cool air above the surface, which will result in the whirlwind motion of the hot air. This motion becomes all the stronger as hot air gushes in to take the place of the rising air. Some of the factors, which make the Dust Devil strong are:

• Flat grounds with asphalt surface or desert
• Clear climatic conditions
• The absence of a lot of wind
• Cool temperatures

Effects of Dust Devil

The most unusual effect of Dust Devil is that it produces electrically charged particles due to the friction between the dust particles that the wind has picked up.